Nader Steps Up Attacks On Democrats

September 23, 2004|By JANICE D'ARCY; Courant Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Ralph Nader's campaign entered a new phase of ferocity with Democrats this week with Nader alleging ``dirty tricks'' and Democrats acknowledging that the party is behind some of the legal challenges that would keep him off the ballot.

Nader claims the Democratic Party secretly supports the independent groups trying to block his access to state ballots across the country. He released findings of his own investigation that he said will lead to a ``mini-Watergate'' scandal.

National party officials flatly denied there is any collusion between the party and the independent groups -- which would violate campaign finance law. ``There is absolutely no coordination,'' said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Erika Soto.

Instead, Soto said the party has launched its own efforts to ``make him follow the rules.'' In several states, including Michigan and New Hampshire, Soto said, DNC volunteers have reviewed the ballot petitions Nader submitted. She said the volunteers then referred their findings of fraudulent signatures to the state parties, which in turn financed legal challenges.

As long as the party and the independent anti-Nader groups act separately, the actions would not be a violation of federal regulations.

But Soto's acknowledgement is a departure from previous DNC statements. Until now, national party officials have said they verbally supported the ballot challenges but were not actively working on them.

Nader's findings, released at a press conference Tuesday, seemed more to suggest a link between the party and independent groups rather than prove it. Nader did not file an official complaint with the Federal Election Commission, which all but assures the body will not investigate. The candidate instead urged his claims be further probed.

His findings included documents suggesting an aide to Sen. John Kerry's campaign discussed the legal challenge to Nader with a lawyer involved in that anti-Nader action in New Hampshire. Also, he played an audiotape of a Democratic official in Maine recounting the DNC's connections to the anti-Nader efforts there.

Nader's accusations come just after his campaign won a handful of crucial ballot access victories. This week, the Nader camp beat back legal challenges in Maryland, and the Wisconsin Board of Elections voted to allow him on the ballot there. Last week, the Florida Supreme Court decided that Nader can appear on the ballot there.

Florida, especially, was symbolically crucial for Nader's presidential effort. It was in Florida in 2000 where Nader's minor showing at the polls branded him a spoiler and earned him Democrats' ire.

Nader is now set to appear on 36 state ballots, according to Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access News. It is far below Nader's original hopes, but enough for him to meet the requirements to appear in the alternative ``Open Debates'' format that he supports.